The new guys
by Madman and Narico
Summary: Another Rachel and Marco joins the group, oh no better look out


**The New Guys   
**By F.B. and Jay**  
  
Jay  
  
**My name is Jay. I have a last name, like most people, but I can't tell you. Why? Because of the Yeerks. What are Yeerks you ask? I'll tell you. Yeerks are rat sized alien slugs that crawl into your brain and control you. Disgusting, right? But true. They are setting their sights on Earth now. Who knows how many humans are infected. My friend Fire, yes actually a noun, and I had just moved into town and were attending our first day of school. Even though Fire's a few grades above me, we stillhave the same lunch table.  


"How's your first day been, FB?" I asked. FB was her nickname.  
"Pretty good, there's this one girl who I saw in the hall that I clicked with. Her name's Rachel" she replied.  
"This guy Marco, in my Spanish class, knows every insult! He's a laugh riot!"  
"A riot, huh?"  
"Well close to it. Hey you wanna go hiking today after school? I found this great trail in the woods."  
"Sure, I'll be there", Later that day, after school, I met FB outside.  
"You ready?" I asked.  
"As I'll ever be" she replied. We took the bus to Hornton Street, near the entrance to the Natural Park. We started hiking, until deep in the woods, under this tree stump, I found this blue box with weird letters on it.   
"Hey! FB, come here! I found something you might like." I yelled  
"No need to scream kid, I'm right here... what in the heck is that?"  
  


**F.B.  
**

Jay put the blue glowing box on the ground.   
"Okay, now there's something you don't see everyday. What do you think it could be?" I asked.  
"I have no idea. It could be nuclear. Maybe the military left it out here."  
"Uh huh, kid that's how the goverment works, they leave high tec things out in the woods so some teens can find it."  
"What should we do with it?" Jay asked not quite sure.  
" I say we take it back to my house, hide it. The Feds will be looking for it soon and they'll offer a reward. But for now it's better back at my house were no one can get to it. But here's an idea, ask around shcool in the morning maybe someone knows something about it. I'll ask Rachel and you ask Marco," we headed off to my new ranch house with the new thing we had found little did we know how much hell that little box was going to put us through.   
  


**Jay ****  
**

  
I slept like heck trying to figure out what that box was. FB and I had worked out a plan. I would have the box before lunch, then at lunch, I would hand it to her. In Spanish Class, I asked Marco about it.The teacher had gone to the conference room.  
"Marco, I need to ask you something." I whispered.  
"What is it man?" he asked.  
"FB and I were out hiking in the woods yesterday, when we found this," I said as I pulled the blue box out of my backpack. Funny, the thing was collapsable, "You know what it is?" Marco's face turned sheet white. "Marco?"  
He snapped out of it, he scribbled an address on a piece of looseleaf. "Meet me here today after school" he said hurriedly. The teacher had just walked in. It was to a Wildlife Rehab center. Maybe FB would have more luck later with Rachel.  
  
  


**F. B. **  


In the hall way after lunch I meet Rachel in the normal place, the girls bathroom up stairs. I made sure that on one else was there with us.  
"Umm, Rach? I have somthing I need to talk to you about. Last night me and my friend Jay were out in the woods when we found this blue glowing box thingy." I took out the box to show her what it looked like. I think she almost fainted.   
"Who did you get it from?" She asked in a really mean voice. Fine if she wanted to play mean I could to.  
"I told you already, and no WHO, WHERE. I need to know if you know anything about it," I said as the bell for class rang. She handed me a note as she left with an ice cold look. It was the address of the Wild life rehab center about 15 miles from my family's ranch land. I could ride over there on Madman (my horse) that night, right now I had to find out about J's talk with Marco.  
"That is too weird, he gave you the same address, that Rachel gave me. Do you think there is a connection?" I said as I drove J out to my house.   
"There could be but we won't know until tonight, but could I use your phone to call my dad?"  
"Sure the cell is on the table and the cordless is on it's charger, but after that could you please help me with the cows. Then we can saddle Madman and get a going." This was going to turn out to be one odd night, I could tell I found odd hoof prints in the horse feild when I went to feed them.   
  


**Jay  
**

When FB got back, she had a stunned look on her face.  
"What's the matter, get caught cow-tipping?" I teased.  
"There were, deer-like hoof prints in the field. I'll have to ask Rachel about it" she replied.  
"Is Madman ready?"  
"Yeah, she's outside."  
We saddled up and rode off, following Marco and Rachel's directions.   
"I take it that's it." I said, reading a sign that told about the Wildlife Rehab center. When we got in, I saw Marco sitting on a bale of hay. Rachel was next to him, holding a pitchfork over his head.  
"Marco! Rachel! Stop!" ordered this one kid, tall, brown hair.  
"Thank you, oh fearless leader" gasped Marco.  
"If you weren't my cousin....." muttered Rachel.  
Marco spoke next, "Jay, FB glad you got here. Let me introduce you around. This is Jake," he said, pointing to the tall brown haired boy, "The one with a hawk on her arm is Cassie," he pointed to a girl wearing overalls covered with who knows how much poop., "Now Jay, can you show Jake what you found?"  
I took out the box, and everone's face went white, even the hawk Cassie was taking care of. We then told them the story I gave to Marco, and I'm sure the one FB told Rachel. Jake and the others huddled over by a wolf cage.   
  


**F.B.  
**

  
I had the oddest feeling I was being watched, not by the animals but by something else. The 'group' was still talking, I couldn't hear what they were saying, so I decided to tale a little walk. Out side the barn were the weird deer-looking hoof prints, they lead into the woods. I needed to follow them to see if they were deer or not, the last thing my family needs is a deer feeding off our lands and costing us money we did not have.   
The feeling of being watched get stronger as I near the woods.   
"Hello? Is anyone there?" I asked the dead quiet forest. There! A quick movement! It went by me like a just of wind. I only saw what looked like a deer jumping over a log. I ran as fast as I could after it, trying to catch up with it. I took out my stun gun, I had to get a look at it's hoofs and it looked like the only way that was going to happen was me putting it to sleep.  
  


**Jay **  
  


The meeting ended, and Jake came over to me. The hawk landed on my shoulder.  
{Hello Jay} it said.  
"What, who. A talking bird?" I asked stunned.  
"We need to tell you and FB something." said Cassie  
"Where'd she go?" asked Jake.  
"Last I saw, she went out into the woods, she muttered something about deer-like hooves." I replied, they all looked stunned, even the bird.  
"{AX!}" they all said at once.They left quickly, and I ran after them.  
"FB!! FB where are you?" I screamed. She stepped out of the woods, with a shocked look on her face.  
"Jay, I saw something that wasn't from this planet. The truth is out there." she replied.   
"Oh, how cliché" shot Marco   
  


**F.B.  
**

"You don't understand, what I saw was the most beautiful thing. The poor thing is unconscious in a clearing in the woods. Come quickly! I think that it hurt its self when it tryed to hit me with its tail." What had I done? I never ment to hurt it, I was feeling so low.  
"When I went to see if it was hurt, it spoke to me, not like in a voice but like talking to my mind. It called me a "Yeerk" in such a bitter tone, then it tryed to kill me," I said as we enterd the clearing.  
The alien was laying on its side, and asleep.  
"The dart had enough knock out for a cow, but I think the alien will be waking up soon, I hope." They all looked at me like they hated me.  
  


**Jay **  
  


{Before you kill them Rachel, let me explain, Cassie, do you have the cube?} asked the bird. Cassie brought it over. {Earth is being invaded} started the hawk, as the alien came to. Jake and Rachel restrained it. The bird introduced himself as "Tobias". He then went on to explain to FB and I about how the Yeerks and the Taxxons are invading Earth. I won't repeat the speech, because I'm sure you know it by now. <{Ax you awake?}> asked Tobias.  
{I believe so, Tobias} responded the Andalite.{I will activate the _Escafil Device_ now} "I guess the Escafil thingie is the box?" I whispered to Marco. Ax instructed me and FB to put one hand on a side of the cube. We obeyed, with a quick look at his tail.   


  
**F.B.  
**

I pulled my hand off the box and pulled Jay back with me.   
"Hold up here, you're not telling us it all, are you?" I asked.  
"What do you mean? We told you all you need to know," said Rachel.  
" How do we now that you're not Yeerks, and the blue box is some sort of mind control device?," I said as Jay pulled on my sleeve and turned me around.  
"F. B. Are you nuts! Look at the tail on that thing!"  
"J, I believe he has a name, I think it's Ax," I said turning back to the group.   
But when I tured back I saw somthing out of Wild life video. There was a wolf, a tiger, a bear, and a gorilla standing where Cassie, Jake, Rachel, and Marco had been.   
{Believe us now?} One of them asked.  
"Oh this is going to be fun, very fun." I walked over to the box and firmly put my hand on it and also making Jay put is hand on it also.  
  
The next day Cassie took me and Jay to get battle morphs. There was only one place for me. The big cat house.  
  


**Jay **  
  


When we arrived at the Gardens, Marco insisted that I followed him. He took me to the bird house. He told me I'd need a bird of prey morph, so I picked a Merlin. It's a fast little bird. Fast, and powerful. We then walked over to the African exhibit. He pointed to the gorilla cage. He showed me the exact gorilla he'd acquired. We then walked on. I told him to wait for me, while I went into the cage. I found some fruit outside the cage, and walked in. Luckily the animal was asleep, and I had no problem acquiring it. I would surprise the guys later, when I morphed it. We met up with FB and the others, and we relaxed outside. We flew back to the woods, and I decided it was time to show everyone what I morphed.  
"Ok guys, don't laugh" I said, not wanting to hear their response, I started to morph. The first change was my face. My nose shrunk into my face, and reduced to two small holes. My nose and mouth joined together and shout out of my face. My eyes shrank, and turned dark black. My skin turned grey, and my legs and arms shortened. A small Rhino-like tail shot out of my butt, and I fell to the ground. My stomach started to bloat next. Insanely large! I was easily over a ton by now!! My ears changed last to thees little wierd things on top of my head. I sensed something weird. My vision was OK, but everything seemed blurry. I smelled something funny nearby. There was an enemy close by! Had to get rid of him! I rampaged towards the cause, a small group of humans nearby, I heard one mutter something about how he was going to have nightmares about Hippos for the rest of his life.  


  
  
**F.B.  
**

Jay was attacking us! Cassie had warned us that the minds of the animals would be hard to control when we first morphed them, that's why we were to do birds frist then maybe dogs. But not large animals until we were ready. And did Jay listen to her? No. Now we were all runing for our lifes. I grabbeed my side rope, and ran up a tree with the rest of the Animorphs. I made a loop in my rope and aimed it for Jay's hard to miss head. I lasoed him, and he kept running.   
"Jay! Stop! Woah! Woah!" I yelled as I crawled on to his back. He did not like that. He started bucking, as hard as it is to belive a 2 ton hippo from hell bucking like a horse. I finely got him tired enough, for being such big things, they can't run far.  
{What happen?} Jay asked in a shocked tone of voice.  
"The animal in you took over," reported Marco.  
"Ha, ha very funny Marco. Now it's my turn." I said steping in to the circle we had made around Jay.  
I say the pic of the Mt lion I had acquired at the zoo. The first thing the changed were the eyes. They went from small cirels to large almonds. My nose flattened itself out and grew whiskers on both sides. My ears turned into elf looking ears and moved to the top of my head. Next I realized, I was on the ground on all fours with my fingers swelling and my finger nails becoming black and hard and sharp. My arms and legs shorten and grew muscular. The golden fur washed over my body like a wave. The last thing that came was the long tail.  
{Ha, ha, ha, ha, ha, ha!} I laughed in a evil voice not really knowing why. I had so much power. The cat's mind did not really bother me, it was a hunter and a hunter is smart, but it was a little nervous of that big gray thing standing so close. It was not a threat to my territory, it was prey. With my powerful eyesight I could see if I was to hunt this thing I would have to sneak up on it, then make my charge. I leaped at it. Using my claws to swipe at it. But a strong gray snake picked me up off the gound.  
{No you don't.} Rachel said, her voice bring me back to what I really was.  
  


**Jay **  
  


Months had passed, we had caused some blows to the Yeerks. Not enough to seriously hurt them. Rachel and FB did not like that. The time had come when Jake and the others decided to show us the Chee. We morphed seagulls and flew to Erek King's house. Erek's a friend of Marco and the others. We walked in, and were greeted with open arms by Erek and his father. The house looked like something out of a sitcom. I whispered to FB, "So the Chee are people with brown hair and put Post-It notes on the fridge?" FB responded with a elbow in the gut. "Point taken." We were then led down into the basement. "Quaint. In a sort of Mary Shelly-esque way". Another elbow in the gut from FB. Then Mr.King pressed a button on the wall. the room started to shake!   
  


**F.B.  
**  


"Going down," Jay said in a joking way. I could of killed him! My heart started to pump, my hands got really sweaty. The wall started to close in on me! I closed my eyes and tryed to remember the times Tobias and I had gone flying, that was a feeling I would never forget. The feeling of freedom, with no walls or celling. I guess I remembered a little to hard, when the lift reached the ground floor my jeans and boots where laying around me. I had morphed in my golden ealge morph.  
"Ground floor, dog like aliens, and slug fighting humans," Marco said. I demorphed and got dressed again. I walked out of the lift, to see a park. Where there should of been a rock or dirt celling there was a blue sky. There was trees all over the place. And then there were the dogs! Maybe over a 100, from pure breeds to mutts. I could learn to like this place.   
  


**Jay **  
  


I have always been a dog lover, but this was insane! Setters! Terriers! Labs! Mutts! A chocolate lab walked up to me. "Hello Jay" it said.  
"Ahhhhhhhh!" I screamed.  
"I am a Chee" he said, after he revealed his true self. His "true self" was a metallic dog really. Then , one of the Chee called from a work station.  
"Che-Ognas has just reported that an unknown Chee signal has entered the main quarters" reported the guard.  
"Guys, I think it's time I told you something." I said   
  


**F.B.  
**

Ever have one of those days where it keeps getting weirder and weirder? We all have, and that's just a normal day for me. Right in front of my eyes, one of my best friends went from a 9th grade boy to a metel and ivroy dog-like robot.  
"Oh my god," was heard in the back of the group. I think it was me but I am not sure, I was in so much shock.  
"Jay, why didn't you tell us sooner?" Asked Jake, a little peeved.  
"The right time did not appear until now," he said in his sheepish way.  
"I'll kill him!" I yelled at the top of my lungs. I ran at him at full speed, I was so mad.  
"How could you lie to me!" Rachel and Cassie held me back, I knew I could not really kill him, but maybe I could hurt him.  
"Did I say something wrong?" Chee-Jay asked, looking at me and asking the others. I had to get a way, my anger was getting to strong for me to handle, I morphed my golden ealge and left the Chee base.  
{Let them lie to each other, that's not how a team works. I am tired of being lied to. From now on I am no longer an Animorph.} I told my self.  
  


**Jay **  
  


"Jake, Cassie, guys. We have to go after her." I pleaded. Nobody moved. "What?"  
"Why didn't you tell us sooner?" asked Jake.  
"I, It didn't seem right until now." I replied. Ok, bad answer.  
"Why you little!" started Rachel. Marco had already gone gorilla and held her down.  
"Leave him be" said Cassie, in her reassuring tone. _Yeah, leave me be_, I thought.  
"You're right Cass, we've got bigger problems, like finding FB." We all left and I morphed to Merlin.   
"One question though," asked Marco. "How do you morph if you're metallic?"  
"Easy, I just change my hologram. You've seen Erek and his father do it."  
"Oh"  
{I think I found her} said Tobias from who knows where.   
{How do you know?} I asked, already in the air.  
{Well, I think my first clue was the fact that I saw a human lying on the forrest floor with cougar paws and ears}  
{FB!!} without the others, I flew off the where Tobias led me, I saw a half morphed FB on the ground.   
  


**F.B.  
**

I saw them coming for me, seven birds of prey. They may see me now but they would not in a few minutes. I had half way morphed mt lion, the misstress of the forest. I would hide until my 2 hours were up and that would be it. And if they wanted to fight me, I would end it all.   
{F. B.! Wait up,} I hard Jay's voice say in my head. The other birds left him as he got close to the ground.   
{ I don't put up with it when people lie to me Jay,} I was about to start my two hour trick that would lead me to either death or being non human.  
{Why are you doing this? I never wanted to hurt you. I just had to keep what I was a secret until I knew it was safe for you and the others to know .}   
{As for this, do you remember why I moved? My mom died, and when did I know? I had to find out from my brother, my dad would not even tell me. He LIED to me Jay. He LIED.} I started to cry, I could not help it, and I could not maintain my morph. I demorphed and sat there crying like a baby. " I want my mom back. Mama, please come back, please." I said as the tears ran down my face.  
  


**Jay **  
  


"FB, I know how your feeling. I may not have lost a human family member, but my dog died. I know Cassie can relate and all, but you have to know: we cannot go on without you. You keep the team together. I would be NOTHING without you. You are my other half, you complete me. Don't say anything, Marco," Marco had just seen Jerry Maguire. Jake walked up to FB.  
"Will you come back and join us?" asked Jake. I changed my hologram to a chocolate lab.  
"Please?" I pleaded.  
"I'll have to think about it, kid. You know. You are kind of a wussy," she said, scratching my head. I wagged my tail in response.  
{Does this mean you will rejoin us Princess FB?} asked Ax.  
"Princess?" she asked stunned.  
"What am I, chopped liver?" asked Jake.  
{I've never tried that before. Does it tast good?} asked Tobias {Kidding!}  
{It is fairly common in Andalite custom to have a Prince and a Princess. I would be honored if you were my Princess} said Ax, sounding wistful.  
  
  


**F.B.  
**

I rejoined the group, what else could I do? But to take my mind off of being lied to, the Yeerks came up with plenty for us to do. One week it was us trying to stop them from taking over every teachers' mind, and the next it was us wanting them to do that. I really could have used an A in math. But the week after that was to change my life forever, even more then lossing my mom.   
I was out working with a horse that a friend of ours had wanted me to break in. When "he" pulled up in his black limo. I had only heard rumors about him from the others. But I felt the hate he had in his heart. It could only be Visser Three.  
"Excuse me young lady? Is your father at home?" he said in his friendly voice.  
"No sir, I am the only one at home, but how can I help you?" I was so close to him I could of reacheded out with one of my pieces of horse equipment and cut his head off. Some times I wish I had no matter what the price.   
"Could you please tell your father, that I came by. I need him to call me about buying your land." He said as he got back in to the long dark car and drove away.  
The Yeerks getting a hold of my land. For what? Who cares, there was no way they were getting it, no matter what .   
  


**Jay   
  
**

The next day in school, FB seemed down.  
"What's up?Besides the whole slug thing" I asked  
"Trent Industries wants to buy my land" she replied gloomily.  
"Trent? But that's Viss, er I mean that's our "mutual friend's" name." I was trying to keep quiet.  
"Yeah"  
"I'll tell Marco and the others. I'm gonna go out for some air, wanna come?" she nodded.  
"But it's school hours"  
"We have 40 minutes, I think we can handle it." I led her outside and behind a dumpster. The glorious life of an Animorph. We morphed to seagull and flew to the woods.  
{What are we doing?} asked FB tersely.  
{We need to find Ax and Tobias, Hey, a BigMac, the lousy sons of.... Anyway, I'll go after Tobias. You go after Ax.} She didn't argue, and flew off. I found Tobias near a clearing.  
{Come on you wascaly wodent} he said, I assumed he too was getting lunch. He caught it, and ate it while covering the food with his wing. I read that that's to make sure that no other bird steals their food.   
{Tobias!} I said when he was done.  
{Isn't today a school day, young man?} he asked  
{It's my luch period, I want to call a meeting today after school at the barn. I need you to find Jake and Cassie. FB and I will take care of Rachel and Marco. Can you make it?}   
{Of course, it's not like I have anything else to do}  
{I need to go find FB, wanna come?}  
{Sure, but morph Merlin, I don't want to be seen with a seagull.} I morphed Merlin and flew off.   
  


**F.B.  
**

The meeting was in the normal place: Cassies barn. Everyone was there except me, I had some chores to do. But I did make an entrance.   
"We take him down now." I said as I marched in to the barn.  
"Hold up there Xena 2," said Marco.  
"Hold up?! HOLD UP! My family's lands are going to be taken over by slugs. And all you can say is 'hold up'!" I yelled, I seemed to do a lot of that.  
"As much as I hate to say this Marco's right." Rachel said while sittong on a bale of hay.   
"Guys you don't understand. If my dad says no, then the Yeerks will make us controllers. And if we say yes, 10:1 they'll be after Cassie's lands next. I understand if you don't help me save my lands, I don't need anyone's help. But at least save Cassie's," I walked out of the barn, I did not need to plan. I was going to take Visser 3 down myself, I did not need anyone.   
  


**Jay **  
  


"Is she always like this?" asked Marco.  
"Yup" We ran out after her, just as she was morphing Golden Eagle.  
"FB! Wait, we'll help you go after Visser 3, but chances are that he's going to be surrounded by guards." Jake said, pointing out out the grim truth.  
"You shreave a poiiiiiiiiint " she replied, as her beak was growing in.  
{I mean, you have a point, I could use the backup. But we have to go now! Victor Trent is coming today to survey the land. So get in bird morph.}I went to Merlin as quickly as I could. Cassie of course managed to stay human until the veryend, when she had an Osprey body, and a set of human arms. I heard Ax mumble something. A jealous Andalite, there's a first. When we got in the air, Tobias reminded us of the closeness. I mean a Peregrine Falcon, a Bald Eagle, a Red-Tailed Hawk, two Ospreys, a Northern Harrier, a Golden Eagle and a Merlin would be an odd sight together. FB led the way.  


  
**F.B.  
**

I saw him, before he ever saw me. He was walking with my dad, how could he?! I went in to a dive, with my talcons out reached. I was aimed right for his eyes. But before I could get a lot of speed, I was stoped by a bigger bird. A Bald Eagle.   
{No! Not now! I can get him and it will be all over!} I yelled, I think Visser 3 even heard me. Ooopps.  
{Great, blow our cover, we have to get close enough to overhear what they are saying.} I think it was Jake that said that. We landed in one tree each.   
"Yes, sir, Mr. Trent, your Agricultural Department is sure going to like this land. There's everything you could want." I heard my dad say. He seemed so happy about this, why?   
"Yes I am sure it will," Visser 3 almost hissed. They walked away, with Visser 3's human hand on my dad's back.  
{Okay, that was weird. But what did we learn?} Asked Marco.  
{Well, it looks like I'll be moving soon. I have to go pack,} I flow off and into my bed room and demorphed. I shut my window so no one could follow me in. I was yet again alone in the world.  
  


**Jay **  
  


We all demorphed outside. Ax and Tobias went to human morph. We got the clothes that we hid in FB's barn. Jake knocked on the door. Mr.B answered.  
"Is FB home?" asked Jake.  
"Sure, she's upstairs" replied her father "She'd better not be having a party, she'll spook the dogs."  
"Don't worry, we're her friends from school, oooool." said Ax.  
"Oh, ok then." commented FB's dad, raising an eyebrow. We headed upstairs, only to see FB with her head in her arms, lying down on her bed.  
"FB, you can't give up." I said.  
"Why?" she shot back.  
"Because now is not the right time, Ax and Tobias did some spying, and they said that, regardless of what your dad says, Trent Inc. will bulldoze your land. Covering it with concrete, animals and all."  
"Say no more. I'm back." with that we followed her outside.  


  
**F.B.  
**

Today was the day that my dad was to sign the papers that would hand over our ranch to the Yeerks. Everything me and my dad had worked so hard for was gone. Well maybe not. We were going to make sure that Visser 3 and the Yeerks never wanted to look at the land again. We were going to blow it up, well in his eyes we would blow it up. The Chee were posted all around the around the ranch. There is one good thing to say about Jay being a Chee.   
The signing was to be a big deal and a whole lot of people were going to be there. Including a whole lot of Yeerks. The explosion was set for when my dad was about to sign the papers. Well Visser 3 showed up and did his spech about how him buying my family's land was going to make life a whole lot better. Yeah if you like to live with a slug in your brain.   
My dad was about to sign the papers when 3......2.......1.......kaboom!!!!!!! Every single acre blown up! It was the most beautiful thing I had ever seen. And the best part was that everyone believed it. That and from the explosions came a great rush of oil, we were rich. There was no way that Visser 3 was getting my land or anyone elses.   
  
Some times being an Animorph come be soul bending and horrobile. And others you find out you have a faimly waiting in the wings you never knew you had. I love my life.   
  
  
A.N: Most likey you do not like the tell told about well it's ONLY half my falut, the other part falls on to the shoulders of CoatiKid@aol.com so falme him too!  



End file.
